On Saturday, 18th January 2020, we gathered on Blackheath Common looking thoughtfully up at what the night sky was offering. Members with telescopes entertained the public with views into the cosmos, trying to dodge the cloud patches that skimmed past, and as the evening rolled on, whimpers could be heard as the cold air was […]
So after being away for almost two years… Slingshot around the sun, charge the flux capacitor or use the force – whatever your favourite film is, there’s no way round it: we’re baaaack in the lecture theatre! And boldly doing what no other astronomy society has done before (probably): we’re only zooming at the same […]
Planning a surprise event is never an easy task, especially when working remotely with 13 people all trying not to let it slip in the middle of meetings, chat forums, emails or phone calls. Then there is also the coordination for the event in sorting venue, timing, people and presents. With challenges abounding, this is […]
Agnes Mary Clerke was born in Skibbereen in Co Cork in and grew up in the midst of the horrific Irish Famine. Her mother Catherine was one of the talented and wealthy family of the Deasy’s and her father John Clerke was a talented amateur astronomer and general scientist who ran the local bank. She […]
In the first of our History of Astronomy sessions for this season, we were presented with a talk by Bill Barton. Bill is a founding member of the Society of the History of Astronomy and the Deputy Director of the British Astronomical Association Historical Section. He is also a member of a number of other […]
The weather in the UK is notoriously difficult to predict. However, amateur astronomers can normally predict, years in advance, when we can expect poor weather and cloudy skies. Those conditions, almost without fail, occur on the day of major astronomical events! Fortunately, the evening of Tuesday 16th July 2019 bucked the trend. We were treated […]
On the 22nd June 2019, a group of Flamsteed members visited Jodrell Bank, part of the University of Manchester’s School of Physics and Astronomy and the home of the famous Lovell Radio Telescope. The site is also home of the Discovery Centre with its Planet and Space Pavilions which house interactive displays on radio telescopes […]
“I have no idea what time is and I am not going to attempt an explanation.” This was the opening line for Eddie Yeadon’s talk for the fourth session of the History of Astronomy talks this season. Eddie has a PhD in physics from Manchester University and has had a long career largely focused on […]
Who actually invented the refracting telescope? This was the opening question which was put to the audience in our second session for the History of Astronomy group this season. The presenter was Tony Sizer, a former teacher of Chemistry, Science and Astronomy at Warwick School and Chigwell School and is currently one of the astronomers […]
In our first talk for this season, we were taken back to the Royal Observatory during the period 1890 to 1895 to explore the work of five women who were employed as ‘Lady Computers’. Isabella Clemes, Alice Everett, Harriet Furniss, Edith Rix and Annie Russell all have very intriguing history relating to their work at […]
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